MEMO Is Produced by the Scottish Council of Jewish Communities (Scojec) in Partnership with BEMIS – Empowering Scotland's Ethnic and Cultural Minority Communities
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Supported by Minority Ethnic Matters Overview 25 November 2019 ISSUE 636 MEMO is produced by the Scottish Council of Jewish Communities (SCoJeC) in partnership with BEMIS – empowering Scotland's ethnic and cultural minority communities. It provides an overview of information of interest to minority ethnic communities in Scotland, including parliamentary activity at Holyrood and Westminster, new publications, consultations, forthcoming conferences, and news reports. Contents Immigration and Asylum Other News Equality Bills in Progress Racism, Religious Hatred, and Discrimination Consultations Other Scottish Parliament and Government Job Opportunities Other UK Parliament and Government Events, Conferences, and Training General Election Useful Links Note that some weblinks, particularly of newspaper articles, are only valid for a short period of time, usually around a month, and that the Scottish and UK Parliament and Government websites have been redesigned, so that links published in previous issues of MEMO may no longer work. To find archive material on these websites, copy details from MEMO into the relevant search facility. Please send information for inclusion in MEMO to [email protected] and click here to be added to the mailing list. The UK Parliament has been dissolved, and will not meet again until after the General Election that will take place on 12 December. Parliamentary questions not already answered will not now receive any response. The new parliament is expected to meet for the first time on 17 December formally to elect the Speaker, after which new MPs will be sworn in. The date of the State Opening of Parliament has not yet been announced. Immigration and Asylum Scottish Parliament Oral Answers Immigration Policy (Independent Scotland) Emma Harper (SNP): To ask the Scottish Government whether an independent Scotland could allow people whose immigration status is being challenged through a tribunal or court to continue to work, study or volunteer. (S5O-03774) Reply from the Minister for Europe, Migration and International Development (Ben Macpherson): Individuals and families who come from all over the world to work, study and settle in Scotland make vital contributions to Scotland’s economy 1 and the delivery of public services. Inward migration enriches our society and communities. The Scottish Government is sympathetic to all those who have difficulties navigating the complex and increasingly restrictive UK immigration rules. The immigration system should treat all individuals with dignity, fairness and respect; where appropriate, they should be allowed to work and support themselves during the immigration process. In the event of independence, decisions relating to the shaping of migration policy would be for the Government of the day to make. However, this Scottish Government has long argued that, in the case of asylum seekers, the right to work should be granted to help support their integration and enable them to contribute to their new communities where they can do so. Emma Harper: The Home Office currently prevents people from working, studying or claiming welfare support while their immigration status is being challenged. I have supported constituents who have been left with no choice other than to rely on charities for food, clothing and housing. Will the minister join me in condemning that inhumane approach from the United Kingdom Home Office, and will he give assurances we will do things differently in an independent Scotland, with a person-centred and fair approach to immigration policy? Reply from Ben Macpherson: The Scottish Government has long expressed concern about the current UK Government’s immigration policies, including those on asylum seekers, and about the UK Government position that asylum seekers can have no recourse to public funds. That is an area in which we could, of course, have different policies as an independent country. Outwith the constitutional question of independence, if this Parliament had powers to set the rules and criteria for a Scottish visa, we could think about how to make immigration policy differently here in Scotland, but within a UK framework. http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/report.aspx?r=12376&i=111839#Scot ParlOR Scottish Parliament Motion S5M-19928 Monica Lennon (Labour): Mohamad Najjar, British Heart Foundation UK Volunteer of the Year – That the Parliament congratulates Mohamad Najjar, a Syrian refugee, who settled in Hamilton, on winning the title of British Heart Foundation UK Young Volunteer of the Year; understands that Mohamad fled war with his parents, but sadly lost his father to a heart attack before they reached the UK; commends Mohamad who is determined to pursue his dream of becoming a doctor by volunteering at the British Heart Foundation store in Hamilton to improve his English and meet new people, and celebrates Mohamad and all the inspiring individuals who donate their time to the charity. https://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx?SearchType=Advance& ReferenceNumbers=S5M-19928 Press Releases Young migrants: Is Europe creating a lost generation? https://fra.europa.eu/en/press-release/2019/young-migrants-europe-creating-lost-generation Convention on the Rights of the Child far from reality for migrant children, OSCE human rights head says https://www.osce.org/odihr/439610 2 New Publications Check someone's settled or pre-settled status https://www.gov.uk/check-immigration-status View and prove your settled or pre-settled status https://www.gov.uk/view-prove-immigration-status English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) policy for Wales https://gov.wales/sites/default/files/publications/2019-11/english-for-speakers-of-other- languages-esol-policy-wales.pdf Integration of young refugees in the EU: good practices and challenges https://fra.europa.eu/sites/default/files/fra_uploads/fra-2019-integration-young-refugees_en.pdf News General election 2019: Conservatives promise 'equal' immigration system https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2019-50449039 General election 2019: Nigel Farage calls for 50,000 net migration cap https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2019-50478341 Will post-Brexit immigration curbs affect Scotland? https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/explainer-will-post-brexit-immigration-curbs- affect-scotland-1-5047846 Tories’ hostile environment policy on immigration leaves everyone poorer https://www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/18047741.tories-hostile-environment-policy- immigration-leaves-everyone-poorer/ Migrants face tighter rules and increased charges under Conservatives https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/migrants-face-tighter-rules-and-increased-charges- under-conservatives-5f2m6bqc0 Channel migrants: Four boats stopped in three hours https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-50451968 Ten men found in lorry container on M25 https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/men-migrants-lorry-m25-container- waltham-abbey-essex-a9213246.html 16 people discovered in sealed trailer on ferry sailing from France to Ireland https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/stena-line-trailer-people-found- cherbourg-france-rosslare-ireland-latest-a9212151.html Dozens of migrants found in refrigerated container on ferry https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/nov/19/dozens-of-stowaways-found-on-uk- bound-ferry-reports-say 3 Migrants throw oranges from cold lorry in bid to be rescued https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/11/20/migrants-throw-oranges-cold-lorry-bid-rescued/ Netherlands ferry: At least 25 people found after punching air hole in refrigerated container bound for UK https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/ferry-migrants-netherlands-uk-boat- refrigerated-container-latest-update-a9209756.html Dutch police find 25 migrants in refrigerated lorry leaving port bound for England https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/11/19/dutch-police-find-25-migrants-refrigerated- lorry-leaving-port/ Migrants freed from sealed lorry arriving from France https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/ireland/migrants-freed-from-sealed-lorry-arriving-from- france-h3nt3ljgc Essex lorry deaths: Teenage victim had escaped Dutch asylum centre https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/essex-lorry-deaths-vietnam-dutch- asylum-centre-grays-latest-a9214971.html Are there 800,000 illegal immigrants in the UK? https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-50420307 Law firm suspends asylum seeker interpreters https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-50473606 Windrush victim forced to sleep in London bin shed https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/nov/23/windrush-bin-shed-britain-jamaica- deportation I can't stand by while refugee children are being kept from their parents' loving arms – and neither should you https://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/life/cant-stand-refugee-children-kept-parents-loving- arms-neither/ EU countries warned of 'lost generation' of young refugees https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-50472402 Sesame Street to launch Arabic-language show for refugee children to help them deal with trauma https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/11/22/sesame-street-launch-arabic-language- show-refugee-children-help/ TOP Equality News Rose Hudson-Wilkin: First black female bishop consecrated https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-kent-50478481 4 General election 2019: 'We're just represented by white people' https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/election-2019-50497399/ TOP Racism, Religious Hatred, and Discrimination News West Lothian councillor suspended over anti-Semitic blog post https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-50501515 West Lothian SNP